Title: Dominican Police Disrupt $200 Million Cybercrime Network: Arrest of 70 Suspects in Operation Discovery

Overview

• Dominican authorities announce the takedown of a transnational cybercrime syndicate responsible for defrauding over 400 US citizens out of over $200 million.
• Operation Discovery: Raids and arrests in the Dominican Republic and New York City.

Details of Operation Discovery

• Cooperation between Dominican National Police and FBI; approximately 70 suspects detained.
• Seized items: around $400,000, over 19 million Dominican pesos, 30 luxury vehicles, and hundreds of electronic equipment and firearms.
• Criminal network targeted victims through economic and sexual extortion, identity theft, and impersonating FBI agents.

Associated Criminal Groups

• Collaboration with Trinitarios, a well-known Dominican gang; facilitated illegal firearms trafficking.

Financial Damage and Impacts

• Reported financial damage caused by the cybercrime network estimated to be around $250 million.

Rising Organized Crime in the Dominican Republic and Cybercrime in the Caribbean

• Cybercrime becoming increasingly profitable in the Dominican Republic, surpassing drug trafficking.
• Cybercrime schemes on the rise in the Caribbean, particularly extortion during the pandemic.

Combating Cybercrime in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean

• Dominican government’s Office Against High-Tech Crimes and recent signing of the anti-ransomware and data hijacking initiative.
• Other initiatives against financial and cybercrime schemes across the Caribbean.

Concerns and Reactions

• Caribbean Community (Caricom) security ministers identified cybercrime as the third-largest security concern.
• Recent legislation against cybercrime in Guyana and active reporting in Barbados.